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Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Savage Messiah: Ken Russell => Topic started by: Iain Fisher on August 31, 2009, 03:28:31 PM
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I spotted this in a book of letters by poet John Betjeman. It is to the BBC Accounts Department on 26 Feb 1959:
"I am sorry you have had so much trouble to get me. I delayed agreeing a fee until I knew how much work was involved. This is now completed. It involved reciting four of my poems, visiting different parts of London one afternoon with Ken Russell, spending a morning at Aldersgate here, being filmed and speaking an introduction into the microphone. Spending an afternoon at King's Cross an Vauxhall Park, being filmed and speaking. Spending a morning going to Hatfield and being filmed there. Going to Ealing to record. And going another afternoon to Vauxhall Park and Finchley. As a self-employed person my time is my chief expense. Do you really think forty guineas is enough for what represents a good half-week's work? I do not wish to be demanding and embarrass the promoters of what I think is an interesting experiment. But if there is any money to spare I wouldn't say no to some of it".
The source is John Betjeman Letters Volume Two: 1951-1984 edited by Candida Lycett Green. The editor notes "JB finally agreed on fifty guineas for his part in the Monitor programme for BBC television which was called A Poet in London".
I've updated the site with this.